ST 3377 (Full Review)

Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 3377

A full review by Rahmat Ali

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This puzzle was published on 12^th July 2026

BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ****

Greetings from Kolkata. Dada has given us a very friendly puzzle to solve this Sunday and now I present to you a full review of his puzzle. Hope to have your valuable feedback and comments.

‘Matador’, the answer to clue 26a, has been familiar to me since childhood. Later, I learnt about the ‘toreador’ and the other types of bullfighters in Spain. After completing this puzzle, I turned to the internet to explore the fascinating world of Spanish bullfighters and broaden my knowledge. I discovered a wealth of interesting information and learnt many fascinating things. Bullfighting in Spain has a rich vocabulary reflecting the distinct roles performed in the bullring. The best-known figure is the ‘matador’, from the Spanish ‘matar’ meaning ‘to kill’. The word literally means ‘killer’ and refers to the principal bullfighter who performs the final act of the contest by dispatching the bull with a sword. Although the term is widely recognised internationally, Spaniards often call the ‘matador’ a ‘torero’, a broader term that stems from the Latin word ‘taurarius’ and derived from ‘toro’ i.e. ‘bull’, meaning simply ‘bullfighter’. The word ‘toreador’ is commonly used in English and French, but it is not the usual Spanish term. It originated from the Spanish verb ‘torear’ i.e. ‘to fight or work the bull’ and became popular through French literature and Georges Bizet’s opera ‘Carmen’. In modern Spain, toreador is rarely used; torero and matador are preferred. Several other specialists assist the matador. The ‘picador’, from ‘picar’ meaning to prick or to pierce, is a mounted horseman who weakens the bull with a lance during the opening stage. The ‘banderillero’, from ‘banderilla’ or ‘small flag’, places decorated barbed sticks into the bull’s shoulders to reduce its charge and prepare it for the final phase. A ‘novillero’ fights young bulls, that is ‘novillos’ before qualifying as a matador, while a ‘rejoneador’ from ‘rejón’ or ‘lance’, performs bullfighting entirely on horseback. Together, these terms illustrate the linguistic and cultural heritage of Spanish bullfighting. Their etymologies reveal how names evolved directly from the actions, weapons, or animals associated with each role, making the vocabulary both descriptive and historically significant.

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Across

7a           My time has gone – end of the road, is it? (7)
IMPASSE: I’M PASSÉ (my time has gone) as a phrase meaning the period of success, popularity or relevance of the setter of this puzzle referring to themselves has passed and gone; I being the writer of the clue and obviously the setter that leads to the definition of a situation in which no progress is possible, especially because of disagreement, an example of which is end of the road i.e. the point in a situation beyond which it is no longer possible to continue to progress or survive any further

10a        Despicable person‘s short sentence (7)
LOWLIFE: The definition of a pejorative term for a person who is of low social status or low moral character and deemed to be despicable or contemptible is reached from a charade of LOW (short) as an adjective denoting short or little and LIFE (sentence) as a slang term for a sentence of imprisonment lasting till death

11a        Relief having rescued one, commercial flier’s home (7)
HELIPAD: HELP (relief) as relief, aid, assistance or succour having saved or retained inside (having rescued) I (one) as the Roman numeral for one and followed by AD (commercial) as an informal term for an advertisement, a type of which could be commercial, that is an advertisement included with another broadcast as on radio, television or a podcast leads to the definition of a place or prepared area designated and used for take-off and landing of helicopters that is obviously a flier’s home

12a        Horrifying wizard, twisted expression (7)
GRIMACE: A charade of GRIM (horrifying) as an adjective meaning repellent or horrifying and ACE (wizard) as a person of distinguished achievement or someone who is dazzlingly skilled in their field, for example, a wizard as someone who works wonders, an expert or a genius guides to the definition of a contorted or twisted facial expression

13a        Under pressure, forthwith (2,3,4)
ON THE SPOT: Double definition; the second being an adverbial phrase meaning forthwith, immediately, at once or without any delay that takes to the first an adjectival phrase denoting in a difficult position, in trouble or under pressure

15a        Organ needs retuning, sigh! (5)
GROAN: ORGAN from the clue subject to an anagram (needs retuning) leads to the definition of a verb meaning to complain, grumble, moan or sigh

16a        Sudden workplace exit where bolt has come down? (9,6)
LIGHTNING STRIKE: Double definition; the second referring to the point or event where a lightning bolt or electric discharge comes down and hits the ground or another object that takes to the first denoting an industrial action of a sudden withdrawal of labour, especially without the backing of official union

    

21a        Jerk banking on note (5)
TONIC: TIC (jerk) as a jerk or a spasmodic twitching of a particular group of muscles protecting or covering (banking) ON from the clue leads to the definition of the first note or keynote of a diatonic scale in music

23a        Please do stay with me (2,2,5)
BE MY GUEST: Double definition; the second being an imperative phrase inviting someone to remain or lodge at one’s home that takes to the first that leads to the first a polite phrase used to grant someone permission to do something or to do something as they wished

25a        Unknown contraption, reason to close bonnets (7)
WHATSIT: The definition of an informal term for something whose name is unknown or forgotten, an example of which is an unknown contraption i.e. a machine or device that looks strange, unnecessarily complicated or improvised and with a forgotten name is obtained from WIT (reason) as reason, mind or saneness to cover or have inside (close) HATS (bonnets) as the plural for a covering for the head usually having a shaped crown and brim, an example of which is bonnets i.e. the plural of a hat tied with string under the chin, worn by babies and, especially in the past, by women

26a        Bullfighter with extra cut, a little bit bandaged (7)
MATADOR: The definition of a principal bullfighter who is appointed to make the final passes and kill the bull is arrived at from MOR[E] (extra) as an adjective denoting additional or extra devoid of the last letter (cut) having inside (bandaged) a combo of A from the clue and TAD (little bit) as an informal term for a small amount or little bit

27a        Match where golf score’s secured in advance (7)
COMPARE: The definition of a verb meaning to match, be on a par with something or be the equal of something is arrived at from PAR (golf score) as an estimated standard score for a hole or course in golf that a good player should make is protected or brought inside (secured in) COME (advance) as to advance, approach, move towards or draw near something

28a        Balearic island‘s whirlwind romance (7)
MENORCA: The definition of one of the Balearic Islands located in the Mediterranean Sea belonging to Spain is reached from an anagram (whirlwind) of ROMANCE

Down

1d           One loves staying up close to wolf, periodically (5,3)
NIGHT OWL: The definition of a person who sits up very late or one who is habitually more active, alert etc at night than during the day is obtained from NIGH (close) as an archaic or poetic word that means nearly, almost or close in distance and time followed by TO from the clue and the periodical or oddly-placed letters (periodically) of W[O]L[F]

2d           Metal cable (4)
LEAD: Double nounal definition; the second denoting a cable, wire or other conductor for making an electrical connection that leads to the first referring to a heavy, soft, bluish-white metal that is highly malleable and having Pb as its chemical symbol

3d           Lamp below opening of fire escape (6)
FLIGHT: LIGHT (lamp) as a piece of equipment like a lamp, an electric lamp or bulb that produces light placed under in the down clue (below) the opening or starting letter (opening) of F[IRE] guides to the definition of an escape or the act or an instance of running away

4d           Possibly canvas cover arriving, no roof (6)
AWNING: The definition of a sheet of canvas or other material stretched on a frame and used to keep the sun or rain off a storefront, window, doorway or deck is reached from [D]AWNING (arriving) as daybreak, beginning or arriving that is devoid of its head or topmost letter in the down clue (no roof)

5d           Pasta: knock up a huge serving, spaghetti ultimately (8)
RIGATONI: The definition of pasta in the form of short hollow fluted tubes is arrived at from RIG (knock up) as set up equipment or a device or structure, typically in a makeshift or hasty way, an example of which is to knock up i.e. to make something in a hurry followed by A from the clue, TON (huge serving) as a huge, enormous or very large quantity or amount and the ultimate or last letter (ultimately) of [SPAGHETT]I

6d           River runs into six more? (6)
SEVERN: The definition of the longest river in Great Britain with a length of 220 miles is reached from R (runs) as the abbreviation for run or runs scored in cricket and placed inside (into) SEVEN (six more) as a number one more than six

8d           Fly towards edge, going up (5)
PILOT: The definition of a verb meaning to fly, aviate or operate an aeroplane is fetched from a combo of TO (towards) as a preposition denoting towards or in the direction of something and LIP (edge) as the edge of something in an upward direction (going up) as reversals in the down clue

9d           Smart new panties (7)
SAPIENT: The definition of an adjective describing someone who always gives the smartest advice is reached from an anagram (new) of PANTIES

14d        Greek character boarding ship, Hippocrates (3)
PHI: The definition of the 21^st letter of the Greek alphabet is part of or hidden inside (boarding) [SHI]P, HI[PPOCRATES]

17d        Criminal merged with an officer of the law (8)
GENDARME: An anagram (criminal) of MERGED and (with) AN takes to the definition of a paramilitary police officer in France and other French-speaking countries with responsibility for general law

18d        Rising sap reaching stick (3)
GUM: MUG (sap) as a slang word for a sap or a foolish or gullible person who is easy to take advantage of seeing in an upward direction (rising) as a reversal in the down clue leads to the definition of a verb meaning to stick or stiffen together with glue or any viscous substance

19d        Screw up the thing, though not hard to get wrong (7)
TIGHTEN: The definition of a verb meaning to screw up, compress or pucker is arrived at from an anagram (to get wrong) of THE T[H]ING from the clue subject to the removal of (though not) H (hard) as the symbol for hard on a lead pencil

20d        Endless clothes ending in box outside (8)
EXTERNAL: ETERNAL (endless) as an adjective meaning incessant, everlasting or seemingly endless covers or surrounds (clothes) the end or terminal letter (ending) in [BO]X guides to the definition of an adjective meaning outside, exterior or outer

21d        Cold capital in Kathmandu, over which what winds blow! (6)
THWACK: A combo of C (cold) as the abbreviation for cold followed by the capital or starting letter (capital) in K[ATHMANDU] preceded by in the down clue (over which) an anagram (winds) of WHAT leads to the definition of a sharp blow or slap

22d        Spanish shoreline right for fellow player (2-4)
CO-STAR: A charade of COSTA (Spanish shoreline) as the Spanish word for shoreline or coast and R (right) as the abbreviation for right guides to the definition of a famous actor appearing with another famous actor in a film or a play, when both have parts of equal importance and therefore a fellow player

23d        Spread is complete after start of banquet (6)
BUTTER: The definition of a verb in the simple present tense meaning to cover a surface of an edible item with a pale yellow edible fatty substance made by churning cream is arrived at from UTTER (complete) as an adjective meaning complete or absolute preceded by or placed after (after) the starting letter (start) of B[ANQUET]

24d        Bush – as senior statesman? (5)
ELDER: Double nounal definition; the second denoting an elder statesman who is a retired statesman consulted by the government or referring to George H.W. Bush, the 41^st President of the United States who is widely regarded as a statesman and also known as ‘Bush the Elder’ to distinguish him from his son George W. Bush, the 43^rd President of the United States that takes to the first meaning a low-growing shrub or tree with white flowers and bluish-black or red berries

26d        Performance of music is merry enough, first of all (4)
MIME: The definition of a performance using gestures and body movements without words is arrived at from each of the first or initial letters (first of all) of M[USIC] I[S] M[ERRY] E[NOUGH]

There were many clues that I liked in this puzzle such as 7a, 11a, 12a, 16a, 23a, 25a, 1d, 4d, 6d, 20d, 21d and 22d; 7a being the best of the lot. My prayers to the Almighty for the eternal rest and peace of BD and my thanks to Dada for the entertainment. Looking forward to being here again. Have a nice day.